Title :
Low-frequency noise characteristics of p-n-p InAlAs/InGaAs HBTs
Author :
Hsu, Shawn S.H. ; Pavlidis, Dimitris ; Sawdai, Donald
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Abstract :
The low-frequency noise characteristics of p-n-p InAlAs/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) were investigated. Devices with various geometries were measured under different bias conditions. The base noise current spectral density (3.11 /spl times/ 10/sup -16/ A/sup 2//Hz) was found to be higher than the collector noise current spectral density (1.48 /spl times/ 10/sup -16/ A/sup 2//Hz) at 10 Hz under low bias condition (I/sub C/=1 mA, V/sub EC/=1 V), while the base noise current spectral density (2.04 /spl times/ 10/sup -15/ A/sup 2//Hz) is lower than the collector noise current spectral density (7.87 /spl times/ 10/sup -15/ A/sup 2//Hz) under high bias condition (I/sub C/=10 mA, V/sub EC/=2 V). The low-frequency noise sources were identified using the emitter-feedback technique. The results suggest that the low-frequency noise is a surface-related process. In addition, the dominant noise sources varied with bias levels.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; indium compounds; semiconductor device measurement; semiconductor device noise; 1 V; 1 mA; 10 Hz; 10 mA; 2 V; InAlAs-InGaAs; InAlAs/InGaAs; base noise current spectral density; bias conditions; collector noise current spectral density; emitter-feedback technique; low-frequency noise characteristics; p-n-p HBTs; surface-related process; Circuit noise; Geometry; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Indium compounds; Indium gallium arsenide; Low-frequency noise; Noise level; Noise measurement; Semiconductor device noise; Semiconductor devices;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LED.2002.805756
